While Quirrell was a very early follower, Voldemort had many other followers before he met Quirrell. Some examples include:
* The Death Eaters: Voldemort had a large group of dedicated followers called the Death Eaters, who served him before Quirrell even entered the picture.
* Bellatrix Lestrange: Bellatrix, one of Voldemort's most loyal and dangerous Death Eaters, was already a follower before Quirrell.
* Severus Snape: While Snape eventually joined Dumbledore's side, he was a dedicated follower of Voldemort in his youth.
Quirrell's unique situation: Quirrell was interesting because he was the first to be possessed by Voldemort. This was a very specific and unusual circumstance, and it's not the same as being a traditional follower.
So, while Quirrell was an early follower, he was not the first. Voldemort had a significant following long before he encountered Professor Quirrell.